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Some time ago, I wrote about convincing my parents that a trip to the northern part of Kruger would be far more fun than having a party at home that lasts only a few hours and then is over. The trip was filled with excitement from the start, and I'd love to share the memory with you. We left the Tomlinsons' at 4 a.m. Yes, we managed to get all seven tired bodies up and moving on time. As we settled in for the journey, with Mom and Dad softly talking up front while we tried to catch a few more winks, I heard the word "detour." Immediately, I was alert. "Why are we making a detour?" I wondered.
It turned out that during the drive, Mom had asked Dad if he remembered to pack the air mattresses for the boys. You guessed it—we had left them behind. Knowing that spending five nights on a hard floor would not make the boys happy, we decided to detour through Louis Trichardt to the local Checkers to pick up replacements. Fortunately, this was easily done. As we were leaving the still-quiet town, we noticed that Nando's had just opened. Who doesn’t love a Nando’s burger for breakfast? That’s what holidays are all about, after all—breaking the rules of everyday life.
With full tummies and happy hearts, we made the final stretch to the Punda Maria gate with ease. Deciding to forge ahead and reach camp without many stops, considering we were arriving for a long weekend, we made good time. Upon arriving at Punda Maria, we found the camp already quite full. However, to our pleasant surprise, we discovered the perfect camp spot tucked away from the masses. It had everything we needed, even closer than we had hoped, so we happily began the tedious job of setting up camp. The saying "many hands make light work" rang true, and before we knew it, we were settled in and already planning our afternoon drive. The plan: the Mahonie Loop around Punda Maria.
As frequent visitors to Kruger, we knew the importance of remembering the gate opening and closing times, which vary at different times of the year. This knowledge ensured we could maximize our time exploring without any hiccups.
Back at camp, with the obligatory fire going, it was time for me to open my birthday gifts. For anyone who loves celebrating their birthday as much as I do, here's a tip: maximize the enjoyment of your special day by opting to open your gifts in the evening. I did this, and it made the day that much more special, giving me something to look forward to as the day progressed.
After the presents were opened and the delicious chocolate cake was devoured, it was time for everyone to settle in for the night. We had planned an early start for the next day, and with the excitement of the day still buzzing, we drifted off to sleep under the stars, ready for the adventures that awaited us.
Left to right: Scenes from the Luvuvhu Bridge and road to Crooks Corner
Waking bright and early the next morning, our plan was to head to Crooks Corner via the Luvuvhu Bridge. We meandered along the way, adding various bird and animal species to our trip lists. When we arrived at the bridge, the mist was still rising off the water, and we were really hoping to catch a glimpse of Bohm’s Spinetail.
One of the highlights of our trips is meeting fellow members, and this time we were fortunate to bump into Dave Chadwick on the Luvuvhu Bridge. Dave mentioned that there were some Arnot’s Chats near the Pafuri Gate. True to his word, we found them in the exact tree he had described. Another lifer for the list – check!
At this point, Luca noticed he was low on petrol, and we realized we probably wouldn’t make it to Crooks Corner and back to camp on the fuel we had. So, we headed back to camp, happy with our sighting of the Arnot’s Chat, and spent some time relaxing.
Time flies, and before we knew it, it was time to prepare for our afternoon drive. We headed out toward Dzundzwini lookout on the S59. We hadn't seen much initially but were pleasantly surprised to stumble upon a large herd of buffalo. It’s always a treat to watch a massive herd cross the road. We switched off the engine and let them cross at their leisure.
Making it back to camp just in time, we quickly got the fire started for the obligatory braai in the bush. With dinner complete and plans set for the following day, we settled in, enjoying the familiar night sounds of a Kruger trip. A Pearl Spotted Owlet and some nightjars were cheerfully calling as we drifted off to sleep.
Left to Right: The vast views at Crooks Corner
Awake early again, we set off determined to make it to Crooks Corner and then back to the Pafuri Picnic Site for a full cookout breakfast. Upon arriving at Crooks Corner, we were surprised to find the weather had turned, and it was already drizzling. However, a bit of rain didn't deter us, and soon we were at the Pafuri Picnic Site, preparing the ultimate breakfast of champions. Bacon, sausage, eggs, grilled tomato, fried onions and mushrooms, baked beans, and breakfast buns made for a delicious meal that would tide us over for the day.
The scenery in this area is magnificent, and the bird calls are incredible. While sitting under the cover of the massive trees in the picnic site, my dad heard what initially sounded like a lion contact call. We then decided it was probably a ground hornbill, but it wasn’t until we were driving back to camp that we realized it was the call of a Pel’s Fishing Owl. Amazingly, we had been hearing the call of one of my biggest target birds, still yet to be ticked off the list. Damn! Better luck next time.
Now when travelling to the bush, we often ask each other, “What would you most like to see on this trip?” There are very few birds I have wanted to see more than the Crested Guineafowl. With their incredible plumage and salon-quality hairdos, they truly are one of my all-time favorites.
Left to right: Elephants drinking at the Punda Maria Waterhole. Crested Guineafowl foraging around our camp
Having spent the second morning in the Pafuri area, we decided to spend the afternoon at camp. We walked the trails and enjoyed the beautiful, situated hide by the waterhole. As we watched a tranquil scene of a breeding herd of elephants drinking and bathing, Dad came running past (yes, a runner needs to keep up their training even in the bush) and stopped briefly to tell us there was a surprise waiting for us at our camp. Not knowing what he meant, we gathered our things and quietly exited the hide to avoid disturbing the other visitors admiring the elephants. As we made our way back to our camp, we heard the distinct calls before we saw the birds. Crested Guineafowl!! Yay.
Spending many years in camps all over South Africa, I’m very familiar with the call of the helmeted guineafowl around camp. But nothing could have prepared me for the sight of my ‘target’ bird. Seeing the Crested Guineafowl and having them literally feeding and walking straight through our camp, was an incredible experience. The beauty of this sighting was that the birds were so relaxed, giving us ample time to take our photos without worrying about them moving off too quickly. They stayed in the area for over half an hour before heading off to roost for the evening. It was one of the most memorable moments I’ve ever spent with a species so high on my target list. One thing often mentioned about birding is how much more difficult it becomes to rack up lifers the higher you get on your life list. For us, two lifers on this trip so far was definitely something to get excited about.
All too soon, it was the Tomlinsons' final evening with us, and we settled in for a relaxed evening around the campfire. Our conversation ranged from birds to caravans to future trips, and how special our time in Punda had been. Before we knew it, it was time for bed once again. The following morning, we were up early to assist with the dreaded pack-up, but unfortunately, we were hindered by rain. With nothing else to do, we packed up one tent and decided to take down the other when the rain settled down.
With heavy hearts, we headed to the Punda Gate to bid farewell to the Tomlinsons. Our plan from there was to head to the Klopperfontein waterhole before returning to camp, but for those who know us well, you know we’re always up for adventure. Dad casually posed the question, “Girls, how about we head to camp and see if we can get accommodation further down south for the night?” You guessed it—that’s exactly what we did. Letaba had just received a cancellation, and we scooped it up.
Breaking down camp in the drizzly weather wasn’t ideal, but within an hour, we were on the road, heading down to Letaba. As we approached the S57 junction, Mom exclaimed, “Cheetah, in the road!” A gorgeous but very skittish female cheetah was crossing the road, very aware of her surroundings. We watched as she intently began running through the tall grass. She stopped and looked back to where she had come from, almost as if expecting something to follow her. She took off again, this time at a more casual pace, and then she began calling. Was she calling cubs? Was she calling a mate? Our guess was cubs, but as luck would have it, she moved over a little koppie, and we completely lost sight of her. Nonetheless, we were thrilled to have been able to follow her for just a few minutes, and we continued on our way.
Not realizing how long the drive would be, I dozed off for a bit but was soon awakened when we came across another massive herd of buffalo. What was interesting, though, was that they were joined by a herd of over 30 eland. I had never seen these two species together before.
The rest of the drive was relatively uneventful, and we arrived at Letaba in good time. After checking in, we found a nice site not far from the fence and close to the ablutions, perfect for our overnight stop. The benefit of not packing up the boys' tent earlier due to the rain was that we could simply set up their satellite tent for the night without worrying about pitching the entire trailer tent. Having decided not to cook that evening, we went to the Letaba restaurant for dinner. WOW! Many people complain about the restaurants within Kruger, but we can honestly say we had one of the best meals we had had in a long time. It was outstanding.
Waking up early the next morning with the intention of getting out as soon as the gates opened, we were lucky to have the road mostly to ourselves for a while. Slowing down, Dad said, “There’s a secretary bird! Look, it's eating something!” Mom, sitting in the back, replied, “That’s not a secretary bird, that’s a cheetah.” A back-and-forth ensued, with “No, it’s not” and “Yes, it is” repeated several times before we realized that it was, in fact, both. Different angles highlighted different things. We enjoyed the sighting for a few minutes before the cheetah moved off and the bird finished swallowing its snake prey.
Continuing on our way, we decided not to stop at Satara as we still needed to reach Orpen before the long trek home to the Vaal. As we passed Nsemani Dam on the H7, we noticed a few cars parked on the right. Thinking it might be lazy lions or even a leopard in the massive Marula tree, we were surprised to find that it was actually a large pack of wild dogs, sleeping in the shade of the tree. After enjoying the sighting for a few minutes, we needed to move on before the area got crowded and we ended up stuck with sleeping dogs not doing much.
The rest of the drive to Orpen was quiet, but we didn’t give up hope of seeing the Birmingham Pride of lions, who frequent the Orpen area. Unfortunately, we were out of luck this time. But hey, that’s what keeps us coming back—the knowledge that every day in the bush yields different sightings.
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